The present invention is directed to a user-driven, non-partisan, internet, real-time, pulse-polling, trend-tracking, opinion-gathering, storage and delivery opinion method that facilitates civic participation and offers advantages to the American public, Federal and state representatives, media, corporations, blogs, and government agencies, and research institutions.
The present invention generally relates to a process for streamlined opinion data submission and polling opinion information to decision makers and distributing same. The present invention also relates to a process for creating a subscription database based on polling information results for access by decision makers. More particularly, this invention relates to an issue-based, real-time, pulse-polling, trend-tracking, opinion-gathering process for accumulating and consolidating the same in a database for dissemination and availability of said opinion data to the public and decision makers.
Historically and even today, US voters have been frustrated by the lack of an effective and convenient delivery method to convey their opinions to Federal, state and local elected representatives (“ERs”) on issues of importance to them as citizens. Because so few opinions are generated by the American public, the actions of ERs do not always reflect the will of the people. Additionally, ERs have received fewer constituent opinions than potentially possible because constituent internet, phone and U.S. mail access to them is tedious, time-consuming, daunting and therefore ineffective. The lack of these constituent opinions leaves ERs uninformed regarding these valuable opinions which, were they received, would give them direction as to how to vote. Therefore, there is a need for an opinion delivery method that overcomes these frustrations and institutes a robust methodology for citizen engagement which potentially and constructively influences legislative outcomes and cultural/social change.
The public has become increasingly enlightened and galvanized, even radicalized, by talk radio over the past several years by such commentators as Hugh Hewett, Dennis Prager, Sean Hannity, Michael Medved, Laura Ingraham, Ann Coulter, Larry Elder, Rush Limbaugh, and Glenn Beck. Equally significant are the influences of internet blogs, advocacy groups, grassroots campaigns, MySpace, MTV, and others which involve teens, youth, and adults. This population or market has seen what can be accomplished by an informed electorate in California's November 2004 election and in its preceding gubernatorial recall. It also has seen egregious legislative action go unaddressed by the public before a vote and without its even knowing the issues beforehand.
However, there are issues that cannot be addressed solely or timely by leadership elections. There are agendas being advanced behind the scenes legislatively, judicially, and culturally that the public, if informed, would want to either support or oppose. However, heretofore, there has been no forum for such expression, no channel for its citizen voice to be heard and which connects it to decision makers on social, cultural, political and economic issues. The “silent majority” of all ages, as embodied in the radio-listening, internet blogosphere, TV and print media markets, is realizing that it must have a voice; that silence is no longer an option; and that the price of silence has become too high. At the same time, this market realizes that just hearing and reading about the issues and voting for candidates and on initiatives and referenda is not enough.
There is presently no internet polling resource that gathers in real time and trend tracks voter/public opinion data and provides the valuable informational impact such information can offer ERs, the public, media, blogs, candidates, political action committees, political action groups, search engines, government agencies, think tanks, and corporations (hereinafter “decision makers”). In addition, there is no internet polling resource which gathers in real-time and trend tracks voter/public opinion data and provides the valuable informational impact of such information regarding candidates and election data and which offers the decision makers access to this information.
Previously, internet voter polling took the form of a one-issue, one-day vote as featured by a media agency or other internet, television, or radio station for their short-term marketing interest in any given topic. Thus television networks and internet polling sites are typically single Yes/No issue polls on a given day and thus offer no trend-tracking value.
Typical media polls are not for the purpose of influencing ERs and influencing the outcome of legislation consistent with citizen majority views and/or public opinion. Such are for entity-specific reporting purposes only. Polling participation is limited to a single issue and determined by the entity and typically is only one day in duration. When voters/audience/internet users wish to speak out to their ERs, they are limited by this format as to one issue and one day. Typically, the voter/audience/internet user has an interest in many other issues on which to speak out other than the one featured by the entity but has no internet site which provides multiple issues or user-driven issues. Nor is the voter/audience/internet user data stored for any trending purpose for future analysis by ERs, media, business, government to influence outcomes related to legislation or media scrutiny.
Companies that operate in the political, social, economic polling market, such as Harris, Rasmussen, Pew and Gallup, conduct polls frequently based upon agenda-driven questions (depending upon who is paying for the poll) and allow for minimal if any individual/personal opinion/commentary. Further, questions generated in these polls are often complex and convoluted and can be crafted to achieve a certain outcome. These polls are limited in scope, population, and frequency. This kind of polling data is not in real-time, nor is it considered pulse-polling or trend-tracking as it is limited by the number of people in the sample and the infrequency of these polls. This is sometimes called “dipstick” data or polling.
There is a need for a means to communicate the opinions of citizens on issues ranging from politics, education, media, fashion, morals, and social/cultural values so that the public can make itself heard on these issues by those who influence outcomes on an issue-based, real-time, pulse-polling, trend-tracking basis. With no easy access to all elected officials representing him/her individually, the busy, time-limited citizen is left to his own devices (letter writing, phone calls, and emails to difficult-to-locate and relocate phone numbers and addresses) and he/she succumbs to the pressures of daily living that have higher priority such as child care, earning a living, eating and sleeping. Accordingly, the time is right for the invention, an issue-based, real-time, pulse-polling, trend-tracking internet website service that will allow easy access to elected officials and the accumulation of their opinion data to be made available to the elected officials and other interested decision makers. Thus, such data can be made public through the media and via this invention to hold our lawmakers and others accountable to the “will of the People.”
The present invention fulfills these needs and provides other related advantages.